Black-eyed pea chili recipe

Katherine Martinelli is an internationally published food and travel writer and photographer who contributes regularly to publications on three continents. She recently released her first cookbook, Puff Pastry at Brunch: 10 Sweet and Sa...

Ditch the cans, make them from scratch!

Although cooking with dried black-eyed peas may seem labor intensive, it simply requires a bit of forethought. Besides having a better texture, dried black-eyed peas are also less expensive and lower in sodium than their canned counterparts. Try using them to make chili for a unique and delicious twist on the usual.

Black-eyed peas are high in iron, protein and fiber and are low in cholesterol, saturated fat and sodium, making them a great addition to any meal. Perhaps the most famous Southern black-eyed pea dish is Hoppin' John, which is traditionally eaten on New Year's Day and is believed to bring good luck for the year to come.

Despite the availability and convenience of canned and frozen black-eyed peas, there are many benefits to starting with dried beans. Other than being less expensive and lower in sodium, with studies showing high levels of BPA in canned foods, dried beans are looking better and better for your health. This black-eyed pea chili recipe adapted from AllRecipes.com offers a vegetarian crock pot supper that is mostly hands-off.

Black-eyed pea chili recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight

1 red pepper, diced

1 sweet onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 (10 ounce) can sweet corn, drained

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 cups cooked rice

3-1/2 cups chicken broth

Sea salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Pour dry beans onto a cookie sheet and remove any small rocks or other debris often present in dry beans. Pour in a large bowl and fill with water. Let soak overnight. You may need to add more water as the beans absorb the water. They should be covered at all times. Drain and rinse black-eyed peas thoroughly.

Place black-eyed peas, red pepper, onion, garlic, corn, broth and tomatoes in slow cooker. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.

Add the chili powder and cumin and stir until well blended.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Check periodically, you may need to add more broth if the beans have absorbed too much of it and the mixture starts to look dry.

Stir in the rice and cheese.

Cook for another 30 minutes. Cooking times may vary depending on the temperature of your slow cooker.